Filters to Provide Potable Water from As-Contaminated Waters

This proposal addresses the recent EPA ruling, published in the Federal Register (January 22, 2001), to lower the As levels in drinking waters from the current Maximum Contaminants levels (MCL) of 50 ppb to 10 ppb. Furthermore, it has reported that 2,300 groundwater systems in small communities ranging from 25 to 500 (which make up 67% of the groundwater systems) will be out of compliance; whereas, only 86 surface water systems will be out of compliance. EPA has given five years for the Public Water Systems (PWS) to be in compliance with the new regulations. Therefore in Phase II, our major thrust is to utilize a product, developed in Phase I, to remove As from the groundwater systems. Our product will capture, both the As(III) and As(V) species, and reduce their levels to <10 ppb. The household filter market appears to be lucrative as several households and businesses may act faster than PWS to meet the new regulatory limits. The success of Phase II study will ensure our product usage in groundwater systems and household filters. The total market to the PWS to meet the new As MCL is estimated to be about $200 million per year. Our strategy is to capture 10% of the groundwater systems market in the first two years and 50% of the market in five years. We believe this achievable because there is no competing product in the market.